. >> bret: good evening. i'm bret baier. this is "special report." we're live tonight in jasper county, iowa, one of the swing counties that will likely determine the winner of the presidential race on election day. a little more than seven weeks from now. 50 days. there are 12 battleground states. we identified more than 30 key swing counties inside the state based on the voting patterns, key issues and demographics. they oar marked in yellow on the map on your screen. this county, jasper, named after a revolutionary war hero is 35 miles east of des moine moines. ranks 18th out of iowa 99 counties in population. both parties vice presidential nominees are in iowa today. that marks the 26th and 27th visit by the president. the vice president, governor romney, congressman ryan. or their wives. to iowa this year. 27 times. for a state with six electoral votes. here in newton, maytag appliance was the big employer for years about closed up five years ago. with it, many jobs left. this town has union influence but it's increasingly drifting republican. w